Pat Cashman and Suzanne Bouchard join the cast of
HELLO, DOLLY!
Say "Hello" to the Cast of The 5th Avenue Theatre's Highly Anticipated Production of HELLO DOLLY. Jenifer Lewis & Pat Cashman Star
March 7 - 29, 2009 at The 5th Avenue Theatre
SEATTLE - Well hello Dolly, It's so nice to have you back where you belong. This enduring musical theater hit, HELLO, DOLLY!, returns to the 5th Avenue stage for the first time in 27 years. And Jenifer Lewis is looking forward to returning to Seattle to fulfill her lifelong dream of playing Dolly. She is thrilled to work with this all-star Seattle cast including: local TV favorite Pat Cashman as the wealthy, grumpy bachelor Horace Vandergelder and many of Seattle's best theatrical talents: Suzanne Bouchard (Irene), Julie Briskman (Ernestina), Mo Brady (Barnaby), Matt Owen (Ambrose), Tracee Beazer (Minnie Fay) and Krystle Armstrong (Ermengarde).
Lewis joins a long list of illustrious performers who have played the indomitable matchmaker Dolly Levi, including Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin, Martha Raye, Ginger Rogers, Phyllis Diller and Barbra Streisand. Cashman will bring his own unique brand of humor to a role that has previously been played by stage and film greats David Burns, Cab Calloway, Billy Daniels, Loring Smith and Walter Matthau.
When Dolly Gallagher Levi is hired to arrange a marriage for the miserly half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder, she finds him the perfect mate - herself! But first she must win the heart of her unsuspecting "husband-to-be" before he gets hitched to somebody else. The original Broadway production won ten 1964 Tony Awards, including Best Musical (a record that was only surpassed four decades later, when The Producers won 12). Brimming with joyful familiar tunes, from "Before the Parade Pases By," "Put On Your Sunday Clothes," "It Takes a Woman" and "It Only Takes a Moment" to the irresistible title song, "Hello, Dolly!"
The multi-talented Ensemble of this 5th Avenue production includes: Greg McCormick Allen, David Alewine, Daniel Cruz, Bojohn Diciple, Michael Ericson, James Scheider, Eric Brotherson, Troy Wageman, Jadd Davis, Neil Badders, Ty Willis, Erricka Turner-Davis, Chelsi Schill, Brittany Jamieson, Maya RS Perkins, Kasey Nusbickel, Cheryl Massey Peters, Karen Skrinde and Corinna Lapid Munter.
JENIFER LEWIS (Dolly) recently ended her starring role on Broadway as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. Other Broadway credits include Eubie, Comin' Uptown, Rock and Roll, 1st 5000 Years and the original workshop of Dreamgirls with Michael Bennett. Most recently Lewis appeared on stage alongside Meryl Streep in Mother Courage and her Children. Lewis has appeared in more than 60 films including: The Antwon Fisher Story, Corinna Corinna, Sister Act I & II, Dirty Laundry, Dead Presidents, The Brothers, Poetic Justice, Castaway, Meet The Browns, Shark Tales and Pixar's Cars. She has received two NAACP Image Award nominations for What's Love Got to Do With It and The Preacher's Wife and has appeared in over 120 television shows, including The Temptations, Friends, The Cosby Show, Murphy Brown, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Jackie's Back! Shark, Girlfriends and Boston Legal. Lewis resides in Los Angeles with her adopted daughter Charmaine, and is a relentless supporter to find a cure for Breast Cancer and HIV/Aids. Audiences can see her grace the big screen again in 2009 when she stars in Not Easily Broken, a feature film based upon the T.D. Jakes novel.
PAT CASHMAN (Horace Vandergelder). Over the years, Pat has done creative work for television, radio, print, cartoons and video games. He was a performer and writer for the multiple Emmy award-winning Almost Live sketch comedy show that ran for 15 seasons on KING TV in Seattle (as well as two seasons on Comedy Central, and in other syndication runs). Pat has a wide repertoire of voices that enliven his work on local radio, where he has twice been honored in newspaper and TV polls as "Favorite Radio Personality." He serves as keynote speaker, auctioneer and emcee for scores of corporate gatherings, awards banquets and charity fundraisers, both locally and nationally.
Tickets to HELLO, DOLLY! go on sale to the general public on January 9, 2009 and will be priced from $22 - $81. Tickets are available over the phone by calling 206-625-1900 / toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), online at www.5thavenue.org or in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. There is no service charge when purchasing tickets in person at The 5th Avenue Theatre Box Office.
The 5th Avenue Theatre is Seattle's premier musical theater. In 1980, the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre began producing and presenting top-quality live musical theater for the cultural enrichment of the Northwest community. The 5th Avenue Theatre maintains a subscription audience of nearly 24,000 and an annual attendance of more than 287,000. It ranks among the nation's largest and most respected musical theater companies. The Theatre is committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its Educational Outreach Program which includes: The Adventure Musical Theatre Touring Company, The 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Student Matinee Program and Spotlight Nights. Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, the exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Managing Director Marilynn Sheldon and Producing Artistic Director David Armstrong, The 5th Avenue Theatre continues to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of artistic endeavors and facility operations, while preserving its artistic, architectural and historic legacy. Visit www.5thavenue.org
Please contact Erin Vargo, Interim Public Relations Manager, at (206) 625-1418 with questions or to schedule individual interviews.
2008-2009 SEASON CO-SPONSORS: The Boeing Company and US Bank
SHOW SPONSOR: Safeco